In the conventional manufacture of caps (e.g., baseball caps) bearing embroidered logos on the front of the cap crown, each finished cap is mounted on a frame and the frame is mounted on or in an embroidery machine. The frame is intended to hold the front crown in place with minimal movement, stretch, or distortion during the embroidery operation.
Known cap frames include the Tajima/Melco available from Tajima of Japan. Mounting a cap on this frame can be time consuming for embroidery machine operators because the frames are awkward to handle. It has been observed that some of the efficiencies provided by large scale automated embroidery equipment are lost because an excessive amount of time is tied up mounting caps on the cap frames. Essentially, the embroidery machines can sometimes complete their work faster than workers can mount caps properly on the frames. The resulting lost time can lead to a significant cost disadvantage for the preparation of a large order of embroidered caps.
The industry has responded to these problems with a device called a cap "framing gauge" which is designed to provide a temporary mount for a cap embroidery frame so that both hands of a worker are available to properly position a cap on the frame. The framing gauge, as used herein and as known in the art, is a support device that simulates the mounting apparatus of an embroidery machine and thus simplifies mounting a cap on a cap frame. The framing gauge will include frame mounting elements similar to those on the actual automated embroidery equipment. Experience has shown that while the framing gauges do address the problem described above, it can still be difficult to properly position a cap on a cap frame that is mounted on a framing gauge. This is because it is difficult to stretch and maintain the front of the cap in a taut condition as it is mounted on the frame. While both the worker's hands are engaged in mounting the cap and manipulating the frame, the remaining portion of the cap is relaxed. This condition can lead to the cap being improperly positioned on the cap frame.
There exists a need for an improved cap framing device that addresses the above-mentioned problems. These and other needs are addressed by the present invention.